Box Office: Ramayana sells a WHOPPING 3.25 lakh tickets in national chains; Ranbir Kapoor-Yash starrer eyes Rs. 60 crore opening despite pre-Diwali lull

The most awaited film of Indian Cinema, Ramayana is just a day away from its release, and the hype is at an all-time high, especially after the overtly positive reports from the early screenings, including the one by Bollywood Hungama. With less than 7 hours to go for the D-Day, Ramayana has sold approximately 3,30,000 tickets in the top 3 national chains - PVRInox and Cinepolis - and is looking to close the day around the 4 lakh mark.

The pre-sales are phenomenal, more so for the Pre-Diwali period, as the film is headed for a strong start of Rs. 60 crore on Thursday. It's an unconventional mid-week release owing to Namit Malhotra's decision of aligning with the international version, and a conventional Friday release could have spiked the sales by at least 10 per cent.

The sales are not so good for the South Versions, despite the presence of Yash, as all the heavy lifting is done by the Hindi version. In gross terms, the Hindi advance is around the Rs 30 crore mark, which more or less locks in an opening of Rs. 50 crore, and the eyes are now on how the film moves in the final 7 hours, leading to momentum for the release.

Ramayana is the most expensive film of Indian Cinema. The real business of the film is expected to happen from Monday, which is when the Diwali lull goes off. With positive reports, it could have a shot at a century too if all aligns, as there's enough capacity across the country to hit the number.